Higher Ground – Big 3 Racing Rebuilds from a 2024 Shop Fire with a New Shop Location at Dragway 42, Grand Opening in May, 2025
The drag-and-drive community can go beyond the racing scene, into developing friendships, supporting businesses, and getting the car community back to the idea of enjoying cars and truck and the memories they can make. For Chuck Stefanski, Rick Trunkett, and Bob Hess Jr., they combined their enthusiasm and knowledge into Big 3 Racing, a shop in Ohio.
Unfortunately, the shop suffered a devastating shop fire in July of 2024. But today, Big 3 Racing announced they have brighter futures ahead, with a new building starting to take shape at nearby Dragway 42 in West Salem, Ohio!
We’re just a couple weeks away from the first drag-and-drive of 2025, Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive! It combines winter temps with great tracks (and traction), to deliver some amazing performances and an exciting experience! Four tracks, two states and five days of beautiful views and quick runs! For more details and how to purchase advance spectator tickets or a Sick Ward entry, CLICK HERE!
Big 3 Racing has turned out several drag-and-drive cars, including Chuck’s supercharged Pontiac Lemans station wagon, Rick’s twin-turbo ’72 Duster, and Bob’s unique single turbo gen 3 HEMI-powered ’82 Mustang.
All three cars participated on the 2024 edition of Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, and all three completed the event with 7-second averages.
“We build anything American V8 and V10 rear wheel drive at Big 3 Racing,” said Chuck. “We built our cars as fast street cars, and the other local guys kept saying they were not street cars. How better to prove that they are than a drag-and-drive?”
With the first test done, plans were made to also participate in Hot Rod Drag Week in 2024, and further better their performances. But on a Friday evening, July 27th, the Big 3 Racing shop would become engulfed in flames, seriously impacting their plans. While thankfully no one was injured, damages and sorting through everything would take several months.
Despite the shop setback, Rick and Chuck did manage to compete on Hot Rod Drag Week in September, 2024, with Chuck winning the Modified class.
By January 1st, 2025, Chuck was able to reflect on the situation as the trio of friends put together the details for their next step. “This day signifies the end of not only a year (probably one of the worst and craziest years of our lives). but the end of a chapter that stretches 18 years to the day,” said Chuck.
“Although this year brought a lot of tears and some crazy emotions for me, it brought a lot of hope and will bring even more change! I am excited to bring something absolutely insane to the area for not only the racing community, but to all my friends as well. 2025 is going to absolutely insane, and I cannot wait to share what we have in store for everyone. We are making the very best out a very bad situation.”
The next chapter was announced today, as Big 3 Racing moves to a new location, Dragway 42 in West Salem Ohio, located about 30 miles from their previous shop. “We have not one, but two buildings being built trackside,” Chuck said. “One for mechanical work, fabrication and parts sales and the other to house our dynos.”
“Our goal was to be closer to the track, and you can’t get much closer,” said Chuck. “We had a conversation back in early 2024 about moving to Dragway 42, and the benefits it brings. After the fire, we did look into the option of getting into an existing building, but this happening at Dragway 42 worked out great.”
In this exclusive photo, Big 3 Racing’s buildings are shown in the upper RH corner, a short walk from the track’s staging lanes.
Work is already underway, as construction started in November of 2024, with both buildings already taking shape. The grand opening is scheduled for May 2025, with the celebration to include a two-day racing event at Dragway 42 on May 10th and 11th.
Chuck confirmed that we will see him, Rick and Bob back as competitors at this year’s Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive.
See more of the new building, layouts and plans in Big 3 Racing’s newest video below:
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine and Big 3 Racing.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com